[SIDE B] DAY 2 – AOI HAMASAKI (THE TRUTH)
After half an hour of travel, the rescue helicopter finally arrived at the Metropolitan International Airport. Then, those rescuers brought me into the first aid station which was located in the northern apron area. After I had done my body checkup, then I got released into the quarantine area for an hour of observation. Since, the whole airport has become an emergency crisis center for the general public. Definitely, a lot of people had come here for food and shelter.
An hour later, I had left the quarantine area and entered the terminal building. Once I stepped into the arrival hall area. I heard a very familiar voice coming from behind.
“Dang! Search this area… Now!”
I was hiding inside a group of people which were sitting on the floor, when I realized that voice was coming from Mr. Magician. Then, there were several security guards who had come over to the other side of the concourse.
“Mr. Magician, she isn’t around here.”
“Dang! Keep looking… I already told you guys. She is very dangerous. We have to capture her before she sabotages the airport.”
“Yes, sir!”
Afterwards, those security guards had left the scene. I saw Mr. Hierophant came by him and said.
“Mr. Magician, we have to find her as soon as possible. Otherwise, we will be in deep trouble.”
“Mr. Hierophant, I know… We knew she was somewhere inside the terminal building.”
“Our master didn’t know she was hiding in here. If he finds out, then we…”
“Death sentence…”
“Sheesh… Just keep it down…”
“Anyways, I will start searching the baggage hall over there.”
“Okay, then I will start searching for the departure hall on the next floor.”
Although, both of them went their separate ways. But probably, they were still looking for me. Later, I decided to look around and started searching for my mother.
The airport terminal building was huge, which had seven floors. Recently, each floor was designed for different kinds of functions such as general area, storage area, and residence area. A hospital, police station, fire station, military office, living quarters, school and even playground had also been established throughout the airport premises temporarily.
Although, it seemed this settlement was established by the government. However, Killer Incorporation personnel were also stationed there too. I believed Killer Incorporation was the one who actually was in control of the airport.
A while later, I reached a staircase at the end of this hallway. It seemed it could lead me to the underground levels from this floor. I took a closer look and it was pitch-black down at the staircase. Without any hesitation, I took out my flash light and went down the stairs.
I believed I had kept walking down for several minutes or so, until I had reached its basement level. The basement was full of tunnels. Tunnels which led to the outside from the terminal building. I stopped at a forked tunnel and there were two direction signs. The first one which pointed to the left said ‘Cargo Bay 150m’ and the other one which pointed to the right said ‘Backup Control Tower 480m’.
I stood there for at least fifteen minutes, and I still had not made up my mind. This decision could be critical. Suddenly, I heard noises coming from my right side. There was no place to hide or to run. Those noises were closing, and it sounded like a trash bag filled with empty aluminum cans that was shaken vigorously.
Meanwhile, I began to run into the left side of the forked tunnel without further ado. Once I started my run. The noises were also coming closer from my back. Definitely, those noises were chasing after me. There was no time to take a look, but I could feel that those noises were not coming from humans at all.
I saw the light at the end of the tunnel while I was running from the noises. Then, I realized someone was heading over to me.
“Is it you? AOI…”
I looked up and saw her.
“Mom!”
Once my mother came over to my side, then she jumped over and started her attacks onto those noises which were behind me. So, I turned around and I saw my mother was fighting against those two skeleton warriors. The result was instant death by my mother.
Then my mother looked at me and said,
“Aoi, I’m so worried about you…”
“Umm… Hi, Mom!”
“By the way, where is your Dad? I ordered him to bring you to the airport. He is supposed to stay with you.”
“About Dad, he jumped out from the rescue helicopter and…”
“Hold on, Aoi. Let's get back to the surface first. Then, you tell me what happened.”
My mother and I went up the ladder, which was at the end of this tunnel. Once we had arrived at the surface, I had realized this was the cargo bay of the airport. I looked at my mother and then started crying until she gave me her hug. After I told her what had happened previously, my Mom was pondering for a while.
“Now you know the whole story about Ancients.”
“I believe so… However, I still have a question.”
“Aoi, go ahead.”
“Mom, are you also part of Killer Incorporation?”
“Oh, I met your Dad there. Then, we fell in love, and got married… Since we got married, we had decided to quit… However, that stupid idiot didn’t allow us to do so… Instead of being punished by the death penalty, he gave us a final assignment… When this final mission is done, then we will be officially out of there… At the beginning, both of us thought that would be a quick one. However, we had unexpectedly realized that was not the case.”
“Mom, so what was that final mission?”
“Ugh… about that… Umm… You should be your Dad. Haha…”
“Why? You cannot tell me now?”
“Not right now… Ugh… Umm... Ah… Aoi, your Dad was my supervisor. So, I cannot tell you without his authorization… Something like that… Yes… Haha… Your Dad… Oh well, you just ask him when you see him… Haha…”
“Oh… Okay. I understood… Mom, why are you at the airport?”
“Haha… Your Dad and I were supposed to pick up a man at the airport yesterday afternoon… But later on, we found out his flight had arrived earlier than we expected… He also left early… When we decided to look for him… Suddenly, the airport was in a lockdown… So, your Dad and I were stuck in here for a day until the airport had reopened to the public as an emergency crisis center… During that time, your Dad went back home and looked for you…”
“Oh, I see… I wasn’t home… I went to Kensington Mall… I tried to call you guys but no one answered.”
“During that time period, the mobile network was down.”
Then I looked into my mother’s eyes and asked.
“Mom, so you are Miss?”
“Oh me? I was Ms. Batons. Haha…”
“Wow… My parents are…”
Suddenly, there was a male voice echoing within the cargo bay.
“Haha… Ms. Batons… You are just as same as Mr. Hermit… You two are such liars… Haha… Maybe I should address you as Number Five of Origin Six.”
A man had come out from behind those cargo containers. Hence, my mother stared at that man and replied.
“Oh, finally… You find me… Mr. Hierophant!”
“Oh yeah, finally… Although, it took me over a day to look for you. But in return, I also hit the jackpot…
Mr. Hierophant pointed at me.
“Oh, by the way, let's give you two a heads-up…”
My mother glanced up at him.
“Mr. Hierophant, very kind of you.”
“Of course, I’m always generous as the message of gods… First, Number Three and Four were killed by me… Second, Mr. Hermit is currently sealed inside Ms. Sun’s magic circle… Third, Big Four is in the Town of Kensington for Number One, Two and Six... Fourth, all these humans in this airport will become part of our army of undead…”
My mother started charging forwards, while I cried out in anguish.
“And... Fifth, you just shut up and died now!”
<<< === === >>>
Mr. Hierophant’s Spear of Destiny reacted simultaneously when my mother was advancing towards him. Several of his thrust attacks had been launched towards my mother, while my mother took out a pair of Tonfa as her weapon. Her inner and outer forearm blocks had stopped those thrusts and also allowed her to advance further into his dead zone.
Once my mother was in his dead zone, she started her high-low attack combo and ended it with an elbow strike that had knocked Mr. Hierophant down onto the ground. He got up then took several steps backwards and tried to regroup his attacks. A moment later, Mr. Hierophant changed into his defense stance.
Although, Mr. Hierophant and my mother had crossed swords several times, generally to Mr. Hierophant’s disadvantage. Nevertheless, he was the one who was showing signs of fatigue. My mother continued with her attacks while they kept pushing him back against the wall.
Mr. Hierophant paused for a moment and said.
“Ms. Batons, I don’t have much left. Let’s end this in one single shot.”
My mother looked at Mr. Hierophant carefully as he continued.
“Number Five! This will be my last shot. Here I come!”
Spear of Destiny’s attacks started from a zigzag slash then changed into a three thrusts combo. My mother had easily blocked all of its attacks. As she had expected, Mr. Hierophant leaped backward. Then, he launched his final thrust attack directly towards my mother’s neck. She also launched her final strike combo onto Mr. Hierophant’s head. This fight was finished at once when the head got smashed into pieces.
My mother looked at me and smiled.
“A… o… i… Happy… fifteenth… birthday…”
I looked at her for a while. Then, there were tears in my eyes.
I was shocked at what happened in front of my own eyes. My mother’s body had been pierced through by the Spear of Destiny.
I had taken a closer look once again. There was a headless body in between my mother and Mr. Hierophant. The Spear of Destiny had pierced through that headless body first, and then into my mother’s.
Mr. Hierophant was laughing, once he had realized he won the fight.
“Mr. Magician, you did a great job here. Haha…”
I stared at Mr. Hierophant and cried out.
“What have you done to my Mom?”
Mr. Hierophant replied with a laugh.
“Haha… Don’t you see… A while ago, I asked for my backup. Of course, it was Mr. Magician… Then I asked him to teleport here when I gave him the signal.”
Mr. Hierophant looked at the headless body.
“Haha, he is so naive. He thought once I gave him the signal with the coordinates. He would teleport to a location, where he would appear behind Ms. Batons…Then he could launch his sneak attack on her… However, I…”
I glanced up at Mr. Hierophant.
“So, you had tricked Mr. Magician… Your own teammate… You gave him another set of coordinates. Such that he had teleported to a location, where he had appeared in front of my mother... He has become your meat shield…”
Mr. Hierophant replied calmly.
“Of course, without him, which had blocked her view at the end. I won’t be able to kill her... How unlucky Ms. Batons was, she just smashed Mr. Magician’s head. But not mine… Haha…”
Mr. Hierophant’s laughs were so annoying. I wanted to kill him, kill him, kill him!
“Aoi, now you come with me to see our master.”
Mr. Hierophant gripped my arm and started pulling me.
“Don’t touch me!”
“Wow… you look angry… Haha…”
Mr. Hierophant started pushing me against a wall and he slapped me.
“I said don’t touch me!”
My knees were dragging against the floor and he kicked in my stomach.
“Like it or not…. NOW COME WITH ME!”
I was bleeding and I felt dizzy and lightheaded. Soon, I fell into unconsciousness.
<<< === === >>>
There was a gentleman who was standing near the entrance of the cargo bay. He was dressed up elegantly with a dark red tailored suit. Once the gentleman saw Mr. Hierophant was coming on his way. The gentleman spoke up and was sad.
“Mr. Hierophant!”
“Huh? How did you get here?”
“Seriously, if I’m you. I won’t do that to her.”
“You mean this girl.”
“Of course, a girl at her age should be in love or beloved.”
“Ha… You pervert! You want a piece of her?”
“This isn’t your concern.”
“Tch… Who are you anyway?”
“At this moment, I could say I’m her guardian.”
“So, you want to pick a fight.”
“No, no, no… Mr. Hierophant, don't get me wrong.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Oh… Umm… Okay, I’m out of here now. You never see me. I never see you. Okay?”
“What the heck?”
“Oh man… She used that!”
The time suddenly stopped.
Mr. Hierophant got frozen in time while he was talking to that gentleman.
Suddenly, she had woken up and glanced up at Mr. Hierophant. Afterwards, she turned around and saw that gentleman. Both of them stared at each other for a while. Finally, she spoke up and said,
“Tch… So, this is Mr. Hierophant of this world.”
“I think so. By the way, how are you lately?”
“I was bleeding and it hurts.”
“Oh well, don’t worry about that. You won’t bleed to death. At least it stopped.”
“Are you trying to make fun of me?”
“No way. Although, I was feeling a little bit lonely during these years. Hehe…”
“You had never changed a bit.”
“Hold on… I sensed his presence. He could be coming over to this airport.”
“Oh… I will leave him to you.”
“Of course. So, are you leaving now?”
“Umm… Unfortunately, yes.”
“Ugh… What about this Mr. Hierophant?”
“Impale him with his own spear.”
“As you wish.”
<<< === === >>>
An hour later, a single person in a red tailored suit had walked in the cargo bay of the airport. That single person took a closer look at Mr. Hierophant’s impaled dead body.
“For sure, he was here a moment ago. Umm… She was here too. Haha… I could see the ending is coming. Haha…”
<<< === === >>>
When I opened my eyes, I was alone in the dark. I did not know what time it was. But the time seemed to stop in this place. I was searching and hoping I could find the exit out of here. Then, there was a female voice. It came from my back. This female voice was calling my name – Aoi Hamasaki.
I followed that female voice for a while and then I realized there was the light which was shining through from a door. I believed that might be the exit. I went through it without any hesitation. Once I was at the other side of the door. I had realized my clothing had changed into my school uniform and I was in a classroom of my high school. A moment later, I heard the same female voice which was coming from a lady who was standing behind the teacher’s desk.
“Hello, Aoi Hamasaki. Please take your seat. The class will begin now.”
So, I just picked a seat in the front row in the classroom. I had sat down while I was looking at her in silence. She was a beauty
“Aoi Hamasaki, it is the time to learn your past, present and future.”
“Umm… Miss, who are you?”
“Oh, my name is Adamantha Eldritch. Your teacher in this classroom.”
“This classroom?”
“Or another word – City of Light.”
“City of Light!?”
I was confused and I spaced out for a moment just because I heard that name.
“Don’t worry, you will understand everything before you are dismissed from the class.”
“Oh…”
“Aoi, let’s start. The crash course on Ancients Anthropology!”
“Huh?”
“Be quiet!”
“Sorry.”
“There are three kinds of it, and they are Ancients, Old-human, and New-human...
Ancients such as myself and him, which are coming from the first generation of human form. We also possessed certain kinds of powers and abilities. As Ms. Traitor had mentioned about the reproduction for Ancients, it is something like a mind-transfer. That’s why Ancients could have a very long lifespan, in terms of mind-transfer to our offspring aka. empty vessels…
Then Old-human, they existed through human evolution from Ancients. Unfortunately, Old-human cannot surpass ‘Death’ itself. Such that they found the solution through ‘Reproduction’. Their survival knowledge could pass on for their next generation. As a result, Old-human would not be extinguished through time…
At last, New-human such as yourself and most of the members of Killer Incorporation in your world. They are half Ancients and half Humans. As you called them Hybrid ET. New-human also possessed certain kinds of powers and abilities. But the difference between them and Ancients is the limitation of brain cells. That means more brain cells, more powers and abilities.”
“Ugh… That was fast.”
“Aoi, let’s start. The crash course on Ancients Astrophysics!”
“Now?”
“Be quiet!”
“There are so many dimensions within a space-time model. And each dimension has its own world, then there will be so many worlds within a space-time model. So, when space-time is measured in the unit of a second. Then, at this second, there are so many things which are happening in many worlds. Although there are so many dimensions within a space-time model, in order to keep them not to collide into each other. It will need some sort of massive energy to keep them apart. And that’s named that ‘Device’ in Ancients’ knowledge…
So, if each of those ‘Devices’ are at the same level of power. Then, every dimension will be in its own equilibrium. Each world in each dimension runs on its own forever and ever. And that dedicated place which is holding that ‘Device’. Its name is City of Light in your world and in our world, it is called Emptiness… That dedicated place is a demilitarized zone, which means no matter could pass through it. Of course, there is an exception – Keepers. Those are the guardians for individual dimensions. Their purpose is to maintain and observe that ‘Device’ and also secure the Gate in between dimensions…
In another word, each world in each dimension has its own Keepers. And most of them are from Ancients or New-human. I was chosen as the Gate Keeper in my world. And in your world, it will be you…”
“Oh… Wait! Me?”
“Aoi! Yes, it is your destiny, which had been determined a very long time ago.”
“How can that be possible?”
“Aoi, don’t you remember I was with you all these years.”
“Huh?”
“I was inside your mind since the day you were born. When you are in danger, I will come out and save you.”
“Ugh… Umm… But you said you are in your world as a Gate Keeper. How could you…”
“Aoi, let’s start. The crash course on Ancients Mind-transfer!”
“In order to make everything easier for you to understand. I will give you three examples…
This example is a control example which is about Ancients to Ancients mind-transfer. There are two Ancients, one is the original and the other one is the empty vessel. But you can imagine them as two separated identical glasses and the water as memories. The first glass with full water in it, and the second glass without any water. You could pour out the water from the first glass into the second one. And you can also pour the water back from the second glass into the first one. Of course, you must be very careful while you are pouring the water. If you miss the glass, water will pour outside the glass. This is called Permanent Memory Loss. If you didn’t miss the glass, but you poured that water in a hurry or carelessly such that some of the water spilled out of the glass. Then, it is called Temporary Memory Loss, because you can still locate those spilled water around the glass. If you are lucky then you will get back every single drop of it into the glass…
The second example is Ancient to New-human mind-transfer. There were two glasses and they looked the same. The first glass is made out of a hundred percent of that special raw material. But by comparing with the first glass, the second one which was made out of fifty percent of that special raw materials. Such that there will be a variation in between the volumes from both of them. Then, the first glass is full of water. Meanwhile, the second one is not totally empty. It might have some water in it but no one knows how much it has (e.g. Self-learning, Schooling). Then, you want to pour water from the first glass to the second one. However, you cannot pour every single drop of water from the first glass to the second one because the second glass will not have enough space. So, you have to selectively choose how much water and also coming from which part of the first glass (i.e. using a straw). Then you can put that water into the second glass. However, once it was inside the second glass. Then, those water got mixed up already. It is quite impossible for you to separate those waters and put those waters (origins from the first glass) back to the first glass…
The last example is Ancients to Old-human mind-transfer. There are two glasses and they might look alike. The first glass is made out of a hundred percent of that special raw material. But by comparing with the first glass, the second one which was made out of other kinds of raw materials. Such that there will be a lot of variations in between them. There are risks if you want to pour the water from the first glass to the second glass because they have a lot of uncertainty…”
“Oh… So, I’m the second example?”
“Aoi, yes.”
“Umm… Okay. Now I know you are inside my mind but you are not part of me. You are someone else from another world in another dimension.”
“You could say that.”
“Umm… Now I understand, I’m a New-human; why I’m related to that ‘Device’; why are you inside my mind. But it still is not related to Killer Incorporation and others.”
“Aoi, let’s start. The crash course on Ancients Revelation!”
“Let’s say these three tables in this row represent three different dimensions. The first table which is on the right is your world, the second one which is in the middle is the demilitarized zone and the third one which is on the left is my world… In a normal circumstance, those three tables were separated and apart from each other. Three of them will not collide with each other at this moment…
However, if I pushed them together. They had become one long table. Although, in this scenario it was me who pushed them together. However, if this is applied into the Astrophysics which I had talked about. Then, without outside energy as the push, it is impossible for these three tables to become a long table. However, as I had mentioned before in Astrophysics. The second table which is in the middle is the demilitarized zone which is a dedicated place for that ‘Device’. That ‘Device’ is the main energy source which is in an equilibrium state that holds these three tables apart…
So, if that ‘Device’ got weakened or got stolen or even destroyed. Then, the middle table will become totally nothing. Afterwards, these two tables which are at the end of each side will collide into each other since each of them also contains a certain amount of its own energy…
In reality, both sides of the world were crashing the demilitarized zone into nothing, your world and my world collided into each other. Due to the large amount of energy that had been released, both sides of the world had flipped up onto each other…
From an optimistic point of view, both sides of the world would be very close together. When you look up into your sky, you will see my upside-down world is on top of yours and vice versa…
But in the worst-case scenario, both sides of the world would collide into each other at the end of the process. When you look up into your sky, you will see my upside-down world which is crashing down towards yours and vice versa…
Since the demilitarized zone did not exist anymore, which became nothingness. Then, both sides of the world are directly connected to each other. This means both sides of the world had transformed into one new word. This new world would become a prospect for certain people from both sides of the world…”
“Oh… that means Killer Incorporation looks forward to this happening.”
“And our Killer Incorporation is trying to stop them before it occurs.”
“But why is Shadow City?”
“Aoi, it is because of Shadow City’s history and also its geographical reason.”
“Now, I understand…”
“Umm… Let me see if anything is missing before you go... Umm, anything else?”
“What happened to my Mom and others? Mr. Hierophant had killed them.”
“Aoi, no need to worry about Origin Six. Trust me, you will see them again very soon.”
“Huh? Really? Umm…”
“Umm… If nothing else, then it’s time for you to go back.”
“But what should I do afterwards?”
“Don’t worry, you will meet my husband. And this time, he definitely will help you.”
“Who is your husband?”
“Aoi, don’t you remember? You met him before… You two even went to the Town of Kensington together.”
“Ugh… That stupid idiot?”
“Haha… Most people called him that… Haha…”
“He actually had a name?”
“Oh, he didn’t tell you? Haha… You can call him – Deathmar Schneider the Cruel.”
“Umm… Both of your names are so hard to pronounce.”
“Yes, but he usually goes with his alias.”
“Definitely, not Mr. Hermit again. Since that was my Dad’s alias.”
“Everyone called him – The Fool.”
